Can I be fired for asking for an accommodation?

Asking is protected

The ADA has a separate anti-retaliation rule. Requesting an accommodation — or otherwise asserting your ADA rights — is protected activity, and punishing you for it is unlawful retaliation, a claim that stands on its own (separate from whether you even had a disability). (ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12203.)

Protected even if the request is turned down

You're protected for asking in good faith, regardless of the outcome. An employer can lawfully deny a specific accommodation — but it can't retaliate against you for having requested one.

What retaliation can look like

• Firing, demotion, or a cut to your pay or hours.
• A worse schedule, shift, or reassignment.
• Sudden discipline, write-ups, or negative reviews that don't fit your record.
• Harassment or freezing you out — if it's because of the request.

The catch: real standards still apply

The request doesn't make you untouchable. An employer can still hold you to legitimate performance and conduct expectations and act for genuine, unrelated reasons. The line is motive: they can't use your request as the reason. Timing matters — an adverse action that lands right after you ask is a red flag a court will look at.

If it happens

• Document the request, the action against you, and the dates — in writing.
• Keep your performance records (reviews, emails) showing you were meeting expectations.
• You can file a charge with the EEOC — note that strict deadlines apply (generally 180 or 300 days from the adverse action).